Wad-feed attachment for cartridge-loading machines



(No Model.)

o. F. BBLGHBR.

WAD EEED ATTACHMENT FOR CARTRIDGE LOADING MAGHINES.V

No. 337,117; Patented 'Mari 1886.

I'll Il f l i' N, Pneus. Phnmummpw, wminmm nl;

tlnrrnn trarne ORLANDO FULLERBELOI-IER, OF WINTHROP, MASSACHUSETTS.

WADuFEED ATTACHMENT FOR CARTRIDGE-LOADING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No.337,117,dated March 2, 1886.

Application led November 30, 1885. Serial No. 184,279. (No model.)

To aZZ w7t0m it may concern.-

Be 1t known that I, ORLANDO FULLER BELCHER, a citizen of the United States, re-

r chines; and I do herebyrdeelare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will. enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to cartridge-loading machines; and it consists in the present instance of a reciprocating wad-carriage provided with apertures or receptacles adapted to hold the wads while the latter are conveyed toa position centrally over the cartridge,with in which they are forced by means of a reciprocating plunger. This carriage is adapted to move transverselyof the path of travel of the rammer and directly beneath it, and is so connected with the mechanism for operating the measuringgate that both such devices shall move simultaneously at proper intervals of time. Furthermore, these` wad receivers, formed in the reciprocating carriage, correspend, respectively, with the two positions of the gate for powder and shot; hence one receptacle or aperture will always contain and deliver thick spongy or elastic wads suitable .for covering the powder instantly upon delivery of the latter in t-he cartridge, while the other will deliver a different kind for the shot. Moreover, the carriage is arranged to reciprocatebeneath the wad-rammer, and thus cause the apertures formed therein, and which contain the wads,to alternately advance until centrally aligned with respect to the vertical longitudinal axis of the cartridge-holder and rammer. Thus it is evident that each wad is carried centrally over the mouth of the shell in process of loading when the rammell is advanced, and in its descent passes downward through the aperture, and thus discharges the wad, which it carries and forces ahead of it down into the cartridge.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent,in Figure 1,a sectional elevation of a cartridge-loading machine embodying my improvements, while Fig. 2 is a plan of the wad-carriage, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on line x fr, somewhat enlarged. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the adjustable plate which actuates the wad-carriage.

In these drawings I have shown a cartridgeloading machine embodying, essentially, all the prominent features contained in an inven tion described in an application iled by me iu the United States Patent Office on October 23, 1885.' Consequently I shall only allude to and describe said machine sufficiently to enable a general idea to be obtained of the operating parts in connection with the wad-carriage or reciprocating feed device which embodies and is'the subject of my present invention.

At A is shown the frame or body of the machine proper, to which are secured the various cooperating parts.

B is a hollow chamber,n which is disposed the measuring-gate a for both powder and shot. This gate is operated by means of a movable sleeve, II,whichis supported by and moves upon the lever o, the connecting instrumentalities between such gate and the sleeve H being the two rods g h and rock-lever f, pivoted to the body A of the structure.

The wad-plunger or rammer e is operated by the lever c, pivotally secured to an upright post, b, while receptacles for powder and shot are represented, respectively, at C and D.

At .E is shown the dischargeduct to receive and convey the contents of the hoppers O I) into the shell, which is supported iu the cylindrical holder F. It will thus be readily understood that the measuring-gate is operated independently of and without regard or reference to the position or movement of the rammer-lever c.

Osci'llations or vibrations of the gate are effected by asliding movement of the sleeve H upon the lever-handle. c. i

Active movement of the raininer e is effected by motion ff the lever c, but the gate continues stationary, since the rod It operating it pivots upon the rock-leverf, which also remains inactive.

I have thus fully explained the movement and operation of the rammer e, its actuatinglever o, and the measuring-gate a, more particularly the latter, since the Wad-carriage or feed-operating device, to be hereinafter described, is operated inthe same way and simultaneously with said measuring-gate.

In the drawings (see Fig. l) I have shown the Wad-feeding device as composed of a plate or casting, I, horizontally secured to thevframe A, and with a portion cut away at ,to permit the introduction of the month of the pivoted cartridgeholder F to a position almost tiush with the top of said plate. Upon the latter is disposed the wad-carriage proper, J, which consistsofa thin sliding metallic frame suitably bored at j k. Thus two apertures or receivers are formed adapted to retain the Vwads thrust therein and convey them to a position centrally and vertically over the mouth of the shell, or the cartridge holder which containsit.

Io retain and guide. this wad-carriage in proper' position, and thus secure reciprocating right-line movement, I have formed two slots, Z'm, which co-operate with corresponding pins or studs, o n', both of these being ad- `justably disposed, thereby to limit and alter laterally the position of the wad-carriage J, andl thus obtain proper alignment-ot' the apertures centrally-with respect to the-bore ot' the cartrid ge.

Inasmuch as these receiversk, formed in the substance of the wad-carriage, are to be adapted to hold and retain wads of varying size, I have provided them with removable bushingsp p, andv thus the sizes of the apertures are readily altered to suit circumstances.

The mechanism by which this wad-carriage isv reciprocated at proper intervals ot' time simultaneously with the measuring-gate consists of a plate, P, composed of two arms, q r, preferably at right angles to each other, and adjust-ably connected to the rock-lever f and the wad-carriage J, respectively; hence it will be understood that reciprocating movement of such wad-carriage is dependent on the will of the operator by means ofthe sleeve H sliding upon the rammer-lever c; and, furthermore, movement of the gate by aid of the rods g 7L and rock-leverf will similarly and simultaneously actuate the carriage J to advance and deliver a wad, the quality of which may depend upon whether powder or shot was at such movement then delivered to the shell in process of loading.

d shown in section, (see Fig. 3;) but toa suc- .cessful working of the carriage or wad-conveyer the end thrusts or travel thereof must belikewise capable of adjustment in order to bring eachaperture in the act of delivering a wad centrally of the boneo'f the shell prior to the Adescent of the rammer. To attain this result I have slotted at u the vert-ical end q of the plate P,which is thus adjustably connected to the rock-lever f, likewise slotted; furthermore, the extremity of the arm r is slotted or forked at e and secured tothe wad-carriage by the bolt y.

Adjustment is secured as follows: The abovedescribed parts being rst secured approximately in the right positions, the gate is now thrown to the right hand or beneath the hopper D, in which event, from the construction ofthe various operating parts, the a perturej is or should be central over the bore ofthe shell. If not, t-he bolt ysecuring the arm r is loosened and the carriage J pushed toward the right until said apex-tureis centerethwhen the arm rand carriage Jare again united by the bolt y. These parts, the gate and wad-carriage, are now reversed to their opposite extremes of-movenient,whieh should bring the aperture L' central of the bore of the shell. Should it fail in so doing, the bolt uniting the arm q to therock-lever f 'is loosened and the wad-carriage advanced slightly in the same direction, while-the boltmust be shifted upward upon the lever, in order to increase the throw or travel of said carriage. When the aperture k becomes centered, the bolt is again tightened and the adjustment of the wadcarriage is completed.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings the hopper C is to contain powder, and the Vgate a is now in such position that the next movement of the sleeve H, by the operator, upon the lever c will deliver a charge of powder within an empty shell, presumably disposed in the cartridgeholder. Since thereceiverj is now inactive, a wad is introduced, and thus, upon movement of the sleeve H and oscillation of the measuring-gate, active motion of the wadcarriage is likewise effected, which produces not only -advance of said aperture containing a wad centrally of the bore of theshell, but removal of the empty receiver lc to an inactive position to be refilled. The rammer-lever c then actuates the rammer e to drive the wad, now held in the aperturej, into its proper position withintheshell. This is effected by the rammer passing directly into and through the aperture in the carriage, dislodging the wad, and forces the latter in advance of it until the powder or shot is reached. The rammer is now returned to a raised or inactive position, and the sleeve H, which was pushed out toward the end of the rammer-lever ein order to actuate the measuring-gate and deliver the powder, is now thrust in the opposite direction upon said lever. This movement delivers a charge of shot, and at the same time the wad-carriage now presents a wad, contained Within the now-filled receptacle k. The rammer is again moved and this wad driven home, when the cartridge is loaded. By this' automatic ar- IOO rangement and operation of the measuringgate and wad-carriage each charge of powder or shot is delivered with perfect accuracy and only at times desired bythe operator, while there is no trouble and delay occasioned bythe intermingling of wads, and each one is presented in` a proper positioncentrally of and at right angles to the axis of the shell within which it is to be placed.

It will be seen that the apertures or wad-receptacles are slightly smaller than the Wads then being used. In this way the wad is securely grasped and held over the mouth of the shell until the movement of the rammer through said aperture dislodges vand carries it down in advance until the proper position is reached within the shell.

The mechanism whereby the ammunitiongates are operated by the main lever through the intervention of a sliding sleeve on such lever. and connections between same and gate, shown and described herein, but not claimed, is shown, described, and claimed in my application No. 180, 731, tiled October 23, 1885.

I claim- 1. In combination with the measuring-gate for powder and shot, and the lever which actuates the same, a slide, also attached to and operated by said lever and provided with wad-retaining apertures, a single movement of said lever serving to actuate both said gate and said slide, `substantially as set forth.

2. Thecombinatiomwiththecartridge-holder F, rammer e, and actuatinglever c, of the vibrating measuring-gate@ and the reciprocat- 3 5 ing apertured wad-carriage J, both united to the rock-lever f and actuated by the sleeve H, all cooperating together, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. In combination with a cartridge-holder and its co-operating rammer and rammel'- lever, the apertured wad-carriage J, adj ustable connection P, its rock-lever f, and the rod h, uniting the latter with the sleeve H, all substantially as herein described.

4. In a cartridgelling machine, the bushed apertured wad-carriage adapted to reciprocate transversely acrossvthe mouth of a cartridgeholder and co-operate with a rammer entering the latter, in combination with leverf 5o and plate P, the latter being vertically slotted ata, horizontally slotted at c, and connected by bolts through said slots to said slide and lever, respectively, substantially as set forth, the travel of said carriage being adjustably limited by the plate P, substantially as stated. y In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORLANDO FULLER- BELCHER.

Witnesses:

H. E. LODGE, F. CURTiIs. 

